15 November 2010
Welcome for Low Carbon Economic strategy
Colin Howden, Director of Transform Scotland, said of today's publication of the
Scottish Government's Low Carbon Economy Strategy:
"The document is much improved from the draft version. The earlier version would have had us believe that sustainable transport was mainly about getting people to switch from fossil fuel-powered cars to electrically-powered cars. The final version is significantly more balanced as it sets out the opportunities for walking, cycling and public transport, and ways in which traffic can be managed better."We are especially pleased to see the new emphasis on the economic opportunities from alternative fuel buses, alongside other so-called "niche" vehicles. We argued in our consultation response that while Scotland has had no volume car manufacturing for thirty years, we do have a major bus manufacturer in Alexander Dennis Limited and, as such, the Government should concentrate on promoting the manufacture of public transport vehicles rather than cars."